KWUR 90.3 FM Blog

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Monday, February 08, 2010

I'm Never Gonna Give It To You...

So a few posts ago, we gave you a review of the new Owen Pallet album Heartland. Here is an in-studio (live) performance of "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" (aka the best song on the album) from CBC's Studio Q (thanks to P4k).

That this is a live performance makes this song even more exciting. If you weren't aware, Pallet primarily performs songs live alone or with one other person (as in this performance, seen here with Thomas Gill) but his arrangements seem to require more than just one or two people. To make up for this (and add a whole lot of awesome), Pallet plays part of the arrangement on a keyboard or violin and then loops it over itself. This deepens the sound and enables him to play something else. I am also in complete awe at his control to play the violin and sing (listen for the chorus's melody on the violin during the 3rd verse).

In other news, the review of the new Hot Chip album will be posted in the couple of days, so be on the lookout.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Album Review: Owen Pallett, "Heartland"

RiYD: St. Vincent, The Zombies, Stephin Merritt, 20th Century Classical Music

The man formerly known by the moniker Final Fantasy finally releases something under his own name. It's definitely the same kind of sound he's had for a while, but it's sonically much more adventurous.

Pallett is known for live sets in which he performs with little more than a violin or a viola and a few loop pedals. Here, he really fleshes out his sound with some glorious orchestrations. This guy really has done a lot over the years to develop a sound that is truly his own and, even though the album is almost too dense on a first listen, its harder to digest bits become all the more rewarding.

In addition, this whole thing is a concept album that forms a narrative about a farmer named Lewis who lives in a world called "Spectrum." Each song is from Lewis's P.O.V. in conversation with his creator (aka Owen Pallett). YES!